Each week, NWPE brings its members a round-up of what’s happening in education. From big, eye-catching headlines to the stories most papers overlook, we find the news our members really want to see. This week, we lead the news with a landmark court ruling for teacher freedom!

An End to Agency Fees: This week, the Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME. Mark Janus, the plaintiff in the case, argued that being forced to pay agency fees to a union that he didn’t believe in was a violation of his freedom of speech and the court found in his favor. The ruling affects all public sector unions, but doesn’t affect private sector unions. Teachers’ unions are the nation’s largest public-sector union and the ruling will have a major impact on them, especially when it comes to membership. In anticipation of the ruling, teachers’ unions have been preparing for ways to adjust their structure and messaging. You can read AAE’s statement on the historic ruling here.

After Walkouts, Oklahoma Teachers Run for Office: This past spring’s teacher walkout in Oklahoma may have had mixed results, but it was not the end of the fight for teachers in the state. After returning to the classroom, over 100 teachers across the state decided to run for office. Last Tuesday was the state’s primary – a primary where many of those teachers won. Both the Democratic and Republican primaries saw races where educators were entering the field, and many feel it was the Republican races where results were the most telling. In many cases, moderate Republicans, represented by a teacher, won out against a more extreme Republican legislators who had voted against pay raises and education funding.

Proposed Ohio Law Would Require Schools to Notify Transgender Student’s Parents: A new proposal in Ohio would require hospitals, schools, and other government entities to report to parents if their child displays signs of gender dysphoria or other evidence of being transgender. Opponents of the bill worry that it would put educators in charge of policing an issue that they are not trained in and creates an unnecessary burden for educators. However, supporters of the bill point out that parents should be notified on matters that pertain to their children’s health and wellbeing.